The IJS staff will be previewing the college football season all week, looking at all six BCS conferences.

I should not be writing this post since I am one of the biggest OU fans since the Kings of Leon (regular members of Soonerscoop.com), but I am also fairly well versed on the Big 12 as a whole so if bias shows up, simply disregard it.

The Big 12 should be in the national title hunt yet again, with Oklahoma (of course), Oklahoma State and Texas all among the contenders. A lot of folks have debated in the past whether the Big 12 is an inferior conference, but a team that can run the table in the Big 12 South and then win the conference championship game (which they should do away with) against a team it most likely has already played once, deserves a shot at the title.

In a way, this season could be similar to the last one with three teams standing by season's end. Most will recall how OU, a team that lost a head-to-head with Texas (the worst officiated game since Oregon/Oklahoma), went to the championship game. I'm not sure why it mattered since it was a three-way tie, but everyone felt the need to side with Texas for some reason.

AP PhotoMANGINO!

But besides great football the best thing about the Big 12 is the coaches. I challenge you to find a conference with more entertaining coaches (see Mike Leach, Dan Hawkins and Mike Gundy) (Editor's Content Director's Note: Jared Field begs to differ) -- even Les Miles was a little more quirky when he was in-conference. I expect a crazy sound bite or two from Mike Sherman as a former NFL coach going through another brutal year.

Here's your 2009 guide to the Big 12:

Five Big 12 games to watch:

- Kansas State @ Nebraska - Bo Pelini hates Bill Snyder and will look to punish the 'Cats. It will be a violent game.

- Oklahoma @ Nebraska - An old rivalry game that will likely happen twice in one year. The blackshirts are back.

- Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma - It's always violent with these two and OSU has never been better.

- Texas @ Oklahoma State - I'm going with OSU at home. Texas' D will be raw and stopping OSU's high-powered offense at home will be no easy task.

- Oklahoma vs. Texas in Dallas - Could be the biggest non-bowl game of the year. Does an inexperienced O-line/experienced D-front (Oklahoma) trump an experienced O-line/inexperienced D-front (Texas)?

1. Oklahoma - Everything hinges on the line coming together, but it has talent starting with Trent Williams. Plus they will be blocking for the most talented stable of running backs OU has ever had. The defense should be sick and reports are that Bradford has improved on last season.

2. Oklahoma State - My prediction is that OSU will knock off one of the big two of the Big 12. My guess is Texas since they have them at home and I feel like OSU should be able to exploit that young defense.

3. Texas - Returns the O-line which is huge for Colt McCoy, but skill position is lacking outside of Jordan Shipley. The defense is new, but should be talented. I don't think they beat OU and beating OSU at OSU will be no easy task.

4. Nebraska - I believe Bo Pelini's defense-first philosophy will allow him to take out the Big 12 north teams and make his way to the conference championship game. I don't think he has the talent to beat OU, but they have a favorable schedule without having to play Texas and OSU.

5. Kansas - There's some questions on both sides of the line, but they return some dynamic skill position guys. Kansas will be fun to watch if nothing else, but playing both OU and Texas will beat them up.